Method for browsing information with set top box having tv plaza function

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a method for browsing an information with a set top box having TV plaza function, comprising the steps of: i) storing a TV plaza information signal, independently of a user&#39;s request, to a storage device of the set top box in order to construct a TV plaza within the set top box; ii) in response to user&#39;s selection of an item to be interested in, bookmarking a metadata of the selected item in a memory of the set top box; iii) extracting data directed to the bookmarked metadata of the selected item from the TV plaza information stored in the storage device; and iv) delivering the extracted data to user&#39;s TV in order to display them on the user&#39;s TV.

TECHNICAL FILED OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to method for browsing information with aset top box having TV plaza function.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Interactive televisions have been tested and developed by varioussatellite broadcasting providers, telephone providers and/or cabletelevision providers. The interactive televisions enable users toactively interact with the televisions beyond simple channelmanipulation, simple tone control, simple videotape recoding, etc. Forexample, the users of the interactive televisions can make an access tovideos on demand, payments of bills, banking and shopping, andparticipate in forums. The interactive televisions are expected tosubstantially accelerate the information society including the peoplewho are not intimate to a computer such as housewives and the aged. But,there remain some unsolved problems of low transmission rate, lowdistribution of bi-directional transmission network.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the basic structure of one of theconventional set top boxes. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional set topbox comprises a signal input interface 100 which receives a broadcastsignal from broadcasting providers, a demultiplexer (DEMUX) 200 whichclassifies the received broadcast signal, a signal output interface 300which decodes the received broadcast signal and transmits the decodedbroadcast signal to a user's display device, and a microprocessor 400which generates a command in response to user's control signal.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an exemplary embodiment of theprocessing of a broadcast signal by the conventional set top box shownin FIG. 1, wherein a signal input interface 100 comprises a tuner 101which receives an encoded broadcast signal and a channel decoder 102which extracts a user-requested channel from the received broadcastsignal under control of a microprocessor 400. The broadcast signalencoded under a suitable compression standard can be one of a videosignal, an audio signal, a data signal for data broadcast or a compositesignal thereof. The broadcast signal is classified by the action of aDEMUX 200 and then is transmitted to a signal output interface 300.

Relied upon the forms of the broadcast signal, the signal outputinterface 300 comprises at least one decoder selected from the groupconsisting of a data decoder 301 which decodes the data signal, a videodecoder 302 which decodes the video signal, and an audio decoder 303which decodes the audio signal. For example, the DEMUX 200 extracts anaudio signal from the user-requested channel and then transmits it tothe audio decoder 303 which decodes the delivered audio signal andtransmits the decoded signal to a user's speaker in an analog form.

Likewise, a video signal is decoded by the video decoder 302 of thesignal output interface 300 and is then transmitted to a user's TV. Ifthe user's TV is analog type, the decoded video signal is transmitted tothe user's TV in an encoded form by one of various standard videoformats, for example, NTSC (National Television Standard Committee), RGB(Red-Green-Blue) and PAL (Phase Alternation by Line). In case that thebroadcast signal is a composite signal, for example, of the data signaland the video signal, the data and video signals are separated eachother from the composite signal by the action of the DEMUX 200 and istransmitted to the data decoder 301 and the video decoder 302,respectively. If matching of the decoded data and video signals isrequired, the matching is performed through graphic over lay technology.The matched signal is then transmitted to the user's TV.

In order to satisfy various demands of the users, the set top box mayadditionally comprise an operating system, operating program, a memory(ROM, RAM) storing the data in use, and a storage device (for example, ahard drive) into which the programs to be recorded are stored.

However, the method for searching items to be interested in is not wellestablished. Even though bi-directional communications are popularlyused, the time for accessing to external servers through return pathservers would be very longer. Frequent access to the external serversmight be an excessive burden to the return path servers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for browsingitems to be searched in a simple and rapid manner, without any access toan external server.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method forbrowsing information with a set top box having TV plaza function,comprising the steps of: i) storing a TV plaza information signal,independently of a user's request, to a storage device of the set topbox in order to construct a TV plaza within the set top box; ii) inresponse to user's selection of an item to be interested in, bookmarkinga metadata of the selected item in a memory of the set top box; iii)extracting data directed to the bookmarked metadata of the selected itemfrom the TV plaza information stored in the storage device; and iv)delivering the extracted data to user's TV in order to display them onthe user's TV.

The other object of the present invention is to provide a method forprovide a method for browsing information with a set top box having TVplaza function, wherein the TV plaza information comprises a firstidentification data region from which the transmitted information isidentified as an TV plaza information, a second identification dataregion from which a TV plaza subscriber to whom the TV plaza informationbelongs is identified, a data region into which a TV plaza informationto be informed from a TV plaza subscriber to a user is stored, and ametadata region into which a metadata is included, and the step iii) iscarried out by comparing the bookmarked metadata of the selected itemwith the metadata of the TV plaza information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the basic structure ofthe conventional set top box, and the flow of a broadcast signal.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a specific exemplaryembodiment of the conventional set top box shown in FIG. 1, and the flowof a broadcast signal.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the method of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 is a constitutional diagram showing a preferred embodiment of aTV plaza information signal which is adequate for the method of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram exemplarily illustrating the method of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a preferred embodiment of a user interfacedisplayed on user's TV.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein, the phrase “TV plaza” (television plaza) refers to aplaza formed within a set top box, wherein the plaza is formed bystoring information data supplied from various information providersother than a TV user (or viewer) into a storage device of the set topbox independently of the TV user (or viewer), and the user searches anddisplays the information data previously stored within the set top boxonto the user's TV. That is, TV plaza refers to a plaza of theinformation data stored independently of the user's request into astorage device of the set top box and the user can browse or navigatethe user-independently stored information and displays theuser-requested information.

The phrase “TV plaza information”, as used herein, refers to informationsupplied for the construction of TV plaza. The storage and thecorrection of the TV plaza information are independent of a user'srequest or demand, while the navigation and the display of theinformation are dependent upon the user's request. Such TV plazainformation may be life information including advertisement information(for example goods information and company information), educationinformation, stock information and weather information. Further, thephrase “a TV plaza information signal” refers to a signal produced fromsuitable digital encoding of TV plaza information such that a set topbox can receive the signal. The TV plaza information signal ischaracterized in that the information signal is independent of theordinary broadcast signal and is stored independently of the user'srequest into a storage device such as hard disk assigned to store theinformation signal, thereby constructing TV plaza within the set top boxof the user.

The phrase “a broadcast signal”, as used herein, refers to a signal inwhich a user can determine both the storage of the broadcast signal andthe display thereof. Such a broadcast signal includes, but is notlimited to, ordinary signals supplied by television broadcastingprovider such as KBS, MBC, SBS, CNN and NHK, satellite broadcastingproviders and CATV broadcasting providers.

While providers for the TV plaza information signal can be differentfrom those for the broadcast signal, preferably the TV plaza informationsignal and the broadcast signal are provided by the same providers. But,it should be understood that TV plaza information signal and thebroadcast signal are provided in a separated form. The phrase “aseparated form” means that the TV plaza information signal has differentidentification information from that of the broadcast signal.

The phrase “a TV plaza operator”, as used herein, refers to a person whooperates and manages TV plaza as a whole. Further, “a TV plazasubscriber” refers to a person who provides TV plaza information underthe agreement with the TV plaza operator. As a TV plaza subscriber, thepersons who intend to advertise goods, to inform companies and/orservices can be mentioned.

In the following, the present invention will be more fully illustratedreferring to the attached drawings.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the method of thepresent invention. A TV plaza information signal transmitted togetherwith a broadcast signal is processed by a signal processing and controlunit 10 of a set top box 1, and is stored, independently of a user'srequest, in a storage device 600 of the set top box 1 in order toconstruct a TV plaza. The broadcast signal is also processed by thesignal processing and control unit 10 and a user-requested channelsignal is displayed on user's TV 2. When an item about which a user wantto have more detailed information is found in the displayed program, auser selects the item by manipulation of a control device (for example,a remote controller or a wireless keyboard). A metadata corresponding tothe selected item is bookmarked in a memory (not shown) of the signalprocessing and control unit 10. In response to the user's request, thesignal processing and control unit 10 browses and extracts data directedto the metadata of the item to be interested in from a TV plazaconstructed in the storage device 600. The extracted TV plazainformation is transferred and displayed on the user's TV 2.

FIG. 4 is a constitutional diagram showing a preferred embodiment of aTV plaza information signal which is adequate for the method of thepresent invention. The TV plaza information signal 20 comprises a TVplaza information identification data region 21, a TV plaza subscriberidentification data region 22, a TV plaza information data region 23 anda metadata region 24. The TV plaza information identification dataregion 21 includes the information from which the transmittedinformation is identified as a TV plaza information. The signalprocessing and control unit 10 examines the TV plaza informationidentification data region 21 in order to confirm whether the receiveddata is the TV plaza information or not. If the received data is provento be a TV plaza information, it delivers the received data to a storagedevice 600 independently of the user's request. The TV plaza subscriberidentification data region 22 includes the information from which a TVplaza subscriber is identified. The signal processing and control unit10 examines the TV plaza subscriber identification data region 22 inorder to confirm to whom the TV plaza information belongs, and thenstores the received data in a corresponding storage region of thestorage device 600. The TV plaza subscriber identification data region22 allows subscriber-dependent storage and management of the TV plazainformation. The TV plaza information data region 23 includes theinformation of which the TV plaza subscriber informs the user. Inresponse to the user's request for more detailed information, the TVplaza information data region 23 is displayed on the user's TV 2. Themetadata region 24 includes a metadata, which allows efficientmanagement of the TV plaza information. For example, when advertisinginformation is included in the TV plaza information data region 23, thename of the manufacturer, the name of goods and brief descriptionthereto can be included in the metadata region 24.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram exemplarily illustrating the method of thepresent invention. The signal processing and control unit 10 of a settop box 1 comprises at least a signal input interface 100, ademultiplexer (DEMUX) 200, a signal output interface 300, amicroprocessor 400 and a memory 500. The signal input interface 100receives the broadcast signal and the TV plaza information signal, andthe DEMUX 200 classifies the received signals and separates them into anaudio signal, a video signal and a data signal for data broadcasting.The signal output interface 300 coupled to a user's TV 2, decodes anddelivers the signals to the user's TV 2. The microprocessor 400 controlsthe system, and the memory 500 stores operating systems, applicationsand data in use. The memory 500 is classified as a ROM (read onlymemory) which stores the operating systems and the applications and aRAM (random access memory) which stores the operating systems and theapplications, and the data in use. As a RAM, a non-volatile flash memorycan be used. The storage device 600 of the set top box 1 includesregions assigned to store the TV plaza information.

The TV plaza information signal and the broadcast signal, which arepreferably digitally compressed by one of various compression standards(for example, MPEG standard), are firstly transmitted to the signalinput interface 100 of the signal processing and control unit 10. Of thereceived signals, the TV plaza information signal is separated from thebroadcast signal by the DEMUX 200 and then, is stored independently ofthe user's control signal into a storage device 600 to construct a TVplaza within the set top box 1 of the user. When a user's request forthe information is received, the TV plaza information stored in thestorage device 600 is transmitted to the signal output interface 300 viathe DEMUX 200 under control of the microprocessor 400, and there, the TVplaza information is decoded and displayed on the user's TV 2. In ameanwhile, when the TV plaza information signal and/or the broadcastsignal is a composite signal having a mixed form selected from a videosignal, an audio signal and a data signal for data broadcast, thecomposite signal is separated into one another by action of the DEMUX200 and then is transmitted to the corresponding decoder, and thedecoded signal is delivered to the user's TV 2. The broadcast signal ofthe received signals is processed in a conventional manner. That is, thebroadcast signal is transmitted to the signal output interface 300through the DEMUX 200 under control of the microprocessor 400, andthere, decoding of the broadcast signal is performed. The decodedbroadcast signal is then transmitted and displayed on the user's TV 2.

In viewing the displayed program, the user may find an item about whichmore detailed information is required. When the item to be searched isselected by the user, the metadata corresponding to the selected item isbookmarked in response to the user's request, under the control of themicroprocessor 400 in the memory 500, more specifically in the RAM.Thereafter, the microprocessor 400 browse the TV plaza informationstored in the storage device 600 and then extracts the TV plazainformation directed to the bookmarked metadata of the item to beinterested in. Decision on the relevancy is carried out by comparing thebookmarked metadata of the selected item with the metadata of the TVplaza information. The extracted TV plaza information is transferred anddisplayed on the user's TV 2 through the DEMUX 200 and the signal outputinterface 300. Herein, it is preferable to display the metadata of theextracted information at first. The user may display the wholeinformation to be interested in by browsing and selecting the displayedmetadata of the extracted TV plaza information.

FIG. 6 shows a preferred embodiment of a user interface displayed on theuser's TV. As shown in FIG. 6, the user interface 40 comprises a screendisplay window 41 which displays the program to be view, and a resultdisplay window 42 which displays the search results, wherein the userselects the metadata to be browsed using a control device such as remotecontroller, and detailed contents of the information is displayed, forexample, on the screen display window 41 or on an additional pop-upwindow.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The method for browsing information with the set top box having TV plazafunction according to the present invention enables a simple and rapidaccess to the information to be interested in. That is, even though theinformation can be obtained from bi-directional communication, themethod utilizes the subscriber-dependent TV plaza informationconstructed within the set top box. For this reason, the method makes itpossible to save the time required for the access to external severs viareturn path servers and to secure the information in a simple and rapidmanner. The method avoids possible excessive burdens loaded to thereturn path servers resulted from acquisition of the information throughbi-directional communication.

1. A method for browsing information with a set top box having TV plazafunction, comprising the steps of: i) storing a TV plaza informationsignal, independently of a user's request, to a storage device of theset top box in order to construct a TV plaza within the set top box; ii)in response to user's selection of an item to be interested in,bookmarking a metadata of the selected item in a memory of the set topbox; iii) extracting data directed to the bookmarked metadata of theselected item from the TV plaza information stored in the storagedevice; and iv) delivering the extracted data to user's TV in order todisplay them on the user's TV.
 2. The method as set forth in claim 1,wherein the TV plaza information comprises a first identification dataregion from which the transmitted information is identified as an TVplaza information, a second identification data region from which a TVplaza subscriber to whom the TV plaza information belongs is identified,a data region into which a TV plaza information to be informed from a TVplaza subscriber to a user is stored, and a metadata region into which ametadata is included, and the step iii) is carried out by comparing thebookmarked metadata of the selected item with the metadata of the TVplaza information.
 3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein thestep iv) is carried out by displaying the metadata of the extracted TVplaza information at first, and then displaying detailed contents of theTV plaza information directed to the user-selected metadata.